Hang tab reinforcement for blister card packaging structures

ABSTRACT

A packaging structure is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect, the structure includes a blister ( 16 ) including a flange ( 20 ) and a body portion ( 22 ), a front card ( 12 ) defining a blister receiving opening and a first hang tab notch ( 30 ) therein, the blister receiving opening being sized and shaped to receive the body portion therethrough and prevent passage of the flange OC therethrough. The structure also includes a rear card ( 14 ) defining a second hang tab notch ( 36 ) therein; and a hang tab reinforcement card ( 18 ) defining a third hang tab notch ( 42 ) therein, wherein the first, second and third hang tab. notches are generally aligned and the front card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween. Various substrates may be used to form the packaging structure. The structure may be provided with internal or external coatings to provide strength, printability, and adhesion between the various parts.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)of provisional application Ser. No. 60/943,185 filed on Jun. 11, 2007which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present application is directed to blister card packaging structuresand, more particularly, to trap sealing blister card packagingstructures having a reinforced hang tab portion.

Various consumer goods, such as pharmaceuticals, software, electronics,health and beauty products and the like, typically are packaged in trapsealing blister card packages. Traditionally, trap sealing blister cardpackages are formed by positioning a consumer good in a flanged blisterand sealing the flanged blister between two cards.

Retailers have begun using such trap sealing blister card packages inconnection with locking peg hooks designed to prevent product theft.Such locking peg hook systems require the consumer to have the packagedproduct removed from the display by a store clerk before purchasing theproduct. However, thieves have been able to circumvent the locking peghooks by simply tearing or cutting the hang tab section away from thepackage

Accordingly, there is a need for a blister card packaging structurehaving a reinforced hang tab portion capable of meeting securityrequirements at a relatively low cost.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosed blister card packaging structure mayinclude a blister including a flange and a body portion, a front carddefining a blister receiving opening and a first hang tab notch therein,the blister receiving opening being sized and shaped to receive the bodyportion therethrough and prevent passage of the flange therethrough, arear card defining a second hang tab notch therein, and a hang tabreinforcement card defining a third hang tab notch therein, wherein thefirst, second and third hang tab notches are generally aligned and thefront card is sealed to the rear card to secure the flange and the hangtab reinforcement card therebetween.

Other aspects of the disclosed blister card packaging structure willbecome apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the components of one aspect of thedisclosed blister card packaging structure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the components of the blister cardpackaging structure of FIG. 1 in a pre-assembled configuration;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blister card packaging structure ofFIG. 2 in the fully assembled configuration; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative aspect of the blister andhang tab reinforcement card of the disclosed blister card packagingstructure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one aspect of the disclosed blister cardpackaging structure, generally designated 10, may include a front card12, a rear card 14, a blister 16 and a hang tab reinforcement card 18.In the assembled configuration, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 maybe positioned between the front and rear cards 12, 14 to providestructural support to the packaging structure 10.

The blister 16 may include a flange 20 and a body portion 22. The bodyportion 22 may define a storage chamber in which various items, such asconsumer goods, may be received. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the body portion 22 may be formed into various shapesand sizes, such as a hemispherical bubble, a rectangular box or otherregular or irregular shapes. The shape and size of the body portion 22of the blister 16 may be dictated by the items to be packaged in thepackaging structure 10.

In one aspect, the blister 16 may be formed by thermoforming apaperboard substrate into the desired shape and configuration.Optionally, the paperboard substrate may be coated with or otherwiseinclude additional layers and/or materials, such as printable coatings,polymeric coatings, tear resistant layers and the like. In anotheraspect, the blister 16 may be formed from a polymeric material using,for example, a stamping process, an injection molding process or thelike. At this point, those skilled in the art will appreciate that theblister 16 may be formed from a wide variety of materials using a widevariety of processes.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front and rear cards 14, 16 may be formedas separate pieces. Alternatively, the front and rear cards 12, 14 maybe formed from a single continuous piece of material and may beseparated by a fold line (not shown). For example, the cards 12, 14 maybe formed by die cutting a bulk supply sheet, though those skilled inthe art will appreciate that any available means for forming cards 12,14 may be used.

Furthermore, while the front and rear cards 12, 14 are shown in FIG. 1as defining a generally rectangular periphery in top view, those skilledin the art will appreciate that the front and rear cards 12, 14 may beformed into various sizes and shapes depending upon the application ofthe packaging structure 10.

The front card 12 may include an outer surface 24 and an inner surface26 and may define an opening 28 therein sized and shaped to receive thebody portion 22 of the blister 16 therethrough, while preventing theflange 20 of the blister 16 from passing therethrough. Additionally, thefront card 12 may define a hang tab notch 30 therein. The rear card 14may include an outer surface 32 and an inner surface 34 and may define ahang tab notch 36 therein.

The front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed from any conventionalblister package substrate such as a paperboard substrate. Examples ofsuitable paperboard substrates include solid bleached sulfate (SBS),folding boxboard and recycled board, whether bleached or unbleached. Forexample, the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be formed from or mayinclude a SBS board having a thickness of about 10 to about 30 points.

The outer surfaces 24, 32 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 may becoated with a printable coating selected for compatibility with thedesired printing method and the selected substrate from which the frontand rear cards 12, 14 are formed. For example, the outer surfaces 24, 32of the front and rear cards 12, 14 may be coated with clay, calciumcarbonate or combinations thereof.

The inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and/or rear cards 12, 14 may becoated with a sealing material. The sealing material may be any materialthat may form a seal between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front andrear cards 12, 14. In one aspect, the sealing material may be anadhesive (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive or a curable adhesive). Inanother aspect, the sealing material may be a material that melts andseals to adjacent substrates or layers upon the application of heat,radio frequency energy and/or ultrasonic energy. Examples of usefulsealing materials include ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene methylacrylate (EMA), copolymers of EVA and EMA, and combinations of EVAand/or EMA and other polymers or materials, low density polyethylene,high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethyleneacrylic acid, ethylene methacrylate, ethylene ethyl acrylate andethylene n-butyl acrylate.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the front and/or rearcards 12, 14 may include additional layers or materials withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, thefront and/or rear cards 12, 14 may include a tear resistant layer ormaterial to provide improved package security. For example, the frontand/or rear cards 12, 14 may include an oriented film layer, such as alayer of biaxially oriented polyester film sold under the mark MYLAR®(E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del.) to providetear resistance.

The hang tab reinforcement card 18 may include a top surface 38 and abottom surface 40 (FIG. 2) and may define a hang tab notch 42 therein.In the assembled configuration, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 maybe positioned between the front and rear cards 12, 14 and the hang tabnotch 42 of the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be generally alignedwith the hang tab notches 30, 36 of the front and rear cards 12, 14 toprovide tear/cutting resistance to the hang tab 44 (FIG. 3) of theassembled package 10.

In one aspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may have a shape orprofile in top view (FIGS. 1 and 3) that closely resembles the shape orprofile of the hang tab region 46 (FIG. 3) of the front and/or rearcards 12, 14. For example, when the hang tab region 46 of the front andrear cards 12, 14 is generally rectangular in top view, the hang tabreinforcement card 18 may also be generally rectangular in top view,though somewhat smaller to facilitate sealing between the edge of thehang tab reinforcement card 18 and the edge of the cards 12, 14.

The hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a generally rigidor semi-rigid material and may have a thickness T adapted to resisttearing and cutting. The thickness T may be selected to providetear/cutting resistance without excessive bulk. In one exemplary aspect,the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may have a thickness T of about 10 toabout 50 points. In another exemplary aspect, the hang tab reinforcementcard 18 may be formed from a polymeric material, such as high densitypolyethylene or polypropylene. In another exemplary aspect, the hang tabreinforcement card 18 may be formed from a tear-resistant paperboardmaterial, such as a high density paperboard coated with a tear-resistantpolymeric film (e.g., an oriented polymer film). In another exemplaryaspect, the hang tab reinforcement card 18 may be formed from a metallicmaterial.

While those skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniquesmay be used to form the hang tab reinforcement card 18, exemplarytechniques include stamping, die cutting and the like.

The top and/or bottom surfaces 38, 40 of the hang tab reinforcement card18 may be coated with a sealing material (e.g., an adhesive or heatsealing material), similar to the inside surfaces 26, 34 of the cards12, 14, such that the hang tab reinforcement card 18 is secured to thecards 12, 14 during the final assembly process. Alternatively, the hangtab reinforcement card 18 may be secured to one or more of the cards 12,14 using an adhesive or the like prior to the final assembly of thepackaging structure 10. Still alternatively, the hang tab reinforcementcard 18 may be secured to one or more of the cards 12, 14 during thefinal assembly process (e.g., during heat sealing).

In one aspect, the packaging structure 10 may be assembled by (1)positioning the body portion 22 of the blister 16 through the opening 28in the front card 12 such that the flange 20 of the blister 16 ispositioned between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and rear cards12, 14, (2) positioning an item (e.g., a consumer good) into the bodyportion 22 of the blister 16, (3) positioning the hang tab reinforcementcard 18 between the inner surfaces 26, 34 of the front and rear cards12, 14, (4) aligning the front card 12, the rear card 14 and the hangtab reinforcement card 18 such that the associated hang tab notches 30,36, 42 are generally aligned, and (5) applying heat, radio frequencyenergy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energy and/or mechanical pressureto the mating portions of the front and rear cards 12, 14 to seal thehang tab reinforcing card 18 and flange 20 of the blister 16therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 4, in an alternative aspect of the disclosed blistercard packaging structure, the blister and hang tab reinforcement cardmay be formed as a single, integral structure 50. The integralblister/hang tab reinforcement structure 50 may include a flange 52extending about the periphery of a body portion 54. An elongated portion56 of the flange 52 may extend from the body portion 54 to function asthe hang tab reinforcement card 18 shown in FIGS. 1-3. The elongatedportion 56 of the flange 52 may define a hang tab notch 58 therein sizedand shaped to generally align with the hang tab notches 30, 36 of thefront and rear cards 12, 14.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that incorporatinga hang tab reinforcement into the disclosed blister card packagingstructure may provide resistance to tampering and theft at a relativelylow cost.

Although various aspects of the disclosed blister card packagingstructure have been shown and described, modifications may occur tothose skilled in the art upon reading the specification.

1. A packaging structure comprising: a blister including a flange and abody portion; a front card defining a blister receiving opening and afirst hang tab notch therein, the blister receiving opening being sizedand shaped to receive the body portion therethrough and prevent passageof the flange therethrough; a rear card defining a second hang tab notchtherein; and a hang tab reinforcement card defining a third hang tabnotch therein, wherein the first, second and third hang tab notches aregenerally aligned and the front card is sealed to the rear card tosecure the flange and the hang tab reinforcement card therebetween. 2.The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the body portion defines astorage chamber for an item.
 3. The packaging structure of claim 1,wherein the body portion is shaped as a hemisphere or a rectangular box.4. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the blister is made bythermoforming, stamping or injection molding.
 5. The packaging structureof claim 1, wherein the blister is made of a polymeric or cellulosicmaterial.
 6. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more ofthe front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is made ofpaperboard.
 7. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or moreor the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is coated withor comprises at least one layer of a printable coating, a polymericcoating, or a tear resistant layer.
 8. The packaging structure of claim1, wherein the front card and rear card are formed as separate pieces.9. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the front card and rearcard are formed from a single continuous piece of material.
 10. Thepackaging structure of claim 1, wherein one or more of the front card,rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is formed from a paperboardsubstrate comprising solid bleached sulfate (SBS), folding boxboard, orrecycled board.
 11. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein one ormore of the front card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement is formedfrom a bleached or unbleached material.
 12. The packaging structure ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the front card, rear card, and hang tabreinforcement has a thickness of about 10 to about 30 points.
 13. Thepackaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front cardand rear card comprises an inner surface coated with a sealing material.14. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing material isan adhesive.
 15. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein thesealing material is a pressure sensitive or curable adhesive.
 16. Thepackaging structure of claim 13, wherein the sealing material is a heatsealable material.
 17. The packaging structure of claim 13, wherein thesealing material is comprises at least one of ethylene vinyl acetate(EVA), ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA), EVA, EMA, low densitypolyethylene, high density polyethylene, linear low densitypolyethylene, ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene methacrylate, ethyleneethyl acrylate and ethylene n-butyl acrylate, and combinations thereof.18. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of thefront card, rear card, and hang tab reinforcement comprises a tearresistant layer or material.
 19. The packaging structure of claim 18,wherein the tear resistant layer or material comprises an oriented filmlayer or a biaxially oriented polyester film.
 20. The packagingstructure of claim 1, wherein the hang tab reinforcement has a shape orprofile that closely resembles at least a portion of the shape orprofile of the front and or rear card.
 21. The packaging structure ofclaim 1, wherein the hang tab reinforcement comprises a tear resistantmaterial.
 22. The packaging structure of claim 1, wherein the hang tabreinforcement comprises cellulosic material, a polymeric material, ametallic material, or combinations thereof.
 23. The packaging structureof claim 1, wherein at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of thehang tab reinforcement is coated with a sealing material.
 24. Thepackaging structure of claim 1, wherein sealing of the front card, rearcard, and hang tab reinforcement is accomplished through the applicationof heat, radio frequency energy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energyand/or mechanical pressure.
 25. The packaging structure of claim 1,wherein the blister and hang tab reinforcement are formed as a singlepiece of material.